Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Today i've been up and down like a yo yo - i woke up anxious, i'm sure this'll happen for a while
until i know what to expect living here. i have a fridge which is getting warmer, a dishwasher that's
decided not to work, a leaky washing machine, and today i spent two hours on chat with telstra
trying to get into their online account site so i could get an idea of my usage and costs so far.
also a long time on the phone trying to get sorted with a one year contract for my electricity,
that's different to victoria, here you sign up on an annual basis. then, because this property is
on two titles, it has two power services - A and B - and they want to know which one is the house. so an afternoon later, and a visit from former owner wendy, and finally i know that. I'm completely buggered - it's also hot and very windy and dry, that doesn't help.
had a bit of a chat about the watering with wendy though and that reassured me, she lets it get quite
dry in summer (the grass) and says the pump costs hardly anything. so i'll concentrate on watering
the things i really want to nurture, like my lime, lemon and golden delicious apple

A Nankeen night heron - a few of them are appearing the last couple of weeks, he's on the fallen trees at the river bank

bevan proudly showing off his catch before returning it to the river - it was lovely just sitting down on the water's edge watching the birds gradually disappearing for

the night

there's a small beachy

area at the bottom of the bank on each side of the tangled mass of fallen trees that provide so many birds with their perches during the day - right where they can keep an eye on the fishing. they're pretty quick off the mark if there are any scraps being thrown back in the water.

beautiful sunset and a brilliant

full moon

STUMPY and friends

two big stumpy tailed lizards were roaming around the house today, then a third one appeared out the front, it's been very warm and they're getting quite animated. also saw the end of a snake slithering into a bush -

i must remember not to get distracted in the garden as i do, when i wander out to inspect things and realise i'm wearing thongs or sandals

Monday october 29fantastic dinner on julie and kev's houseboat - if we'd seen the size of the steaks beforewe got there, we would never have had a sausage in bread at bunnings earlier.last night was a perfect night on the river, the water was like glass and the moon isalmost full

Sunday, 28 October 2012

i've just realised that there are comments on my blog - never knew where to find them - thanks everyone.i'm not sure why but this blog puts the previous day's date on each post - maybe it's set to US time, i wonder if i can change it - a challenge, does anyone know??

Janet and bevan are here - we drove out here via the confluence of the murray and darling rivers - it's six months now since i first saw the house for sale after sunny decided she like to visit the murray/darling junction.

janet and bevan at the confluence, darling on the left, murray on the right

we walked down to the pub for a beer or two and left the chicken in the oven just a little too long - edible but not great :0/ and too much wine

Friday, 26 October 2012

the beginning of the circular drive - eucalyptus leucoxylon rosea and some nasturtiums, irises to come and i think a border of bricks, so people don't accidentally drive over it

AH! washing flapping happily on the line - it's been eleven years since i've enjoyed that. richard stubbs would approve.

my sheets have been draped over doors, clothes strewn over couches and chairs - it's lovely to walk out and see it all

dancing in the breeze.

. . . small things :0)

i slept in the lounge room last night on gail's
recommendation, i've left the sofa set up as a bed and it looks out two walls of windows
to the river, as i look ahead the sun is absolute diamonds on the water, it's a cool
morning and perfect to do some watering, after discovering the wonderful
native plant nursery in mildura.

i bought three weeping acacias, they look like a
willow but more greyish and perfect for a screen down on the fenceline where
people come to fish.

i bought a lovely eucalyptus leucoxylon rosea, also an elegant drooping
growth habit, for the centre of the circular drive. i'm going to dig up some of the irises
and transplant them there - and three fuschia gums, my favorites, to plant as a
small group somewhere.

went to bunnings and bought secateurs, gardening spade
(a little pointy one) small fork, large fork, weeder, more hose fittings,
buckets, hose, reels, god i realised i only had
gardening gloves, boots and a pair of snips :0)

ah, this photo reminds me of the days when i was art directing photo shoots for the Target father's day catalogue:0)

i still feel really unsettled, but it's more to
do with this time of year when there's no income (the joys of self employment) , i always feel anxious when i'm drawing
money out and not putting it back in. had a look in at the art vault
yesterday to say hi and have a look at the black room where my april exhibition will be. i think i'll do a
row of horizontal format drawings of the river to run straight around the room.

just had a text from janet and bevan, they'll be here
tomorrow for a few days, it'll be great to have them - maybe bevan can
put my new garden trolley together for me ;-)

my new trees - the native nursery is great, and cheap

OCTOBER 25it's gone all grey and windy and dirty - i'm heading into mildura to get some hose fittings, visit the art vault and make a day for my big barbie, (a housewarming) - have to make sure julie and kev can be there. had a nice dinner with them and peter lancaster, eliza (ex print workshop) and artist in residence, steph.

life drawing starts on monday afternoon, and julie's having a bbq at her place on sunday. i feel like life is starting - even though the washing machine is leaking and the dishwasher has decided not to work, don't know why. sigh.

i think it's time to organise a water man and an electrician out for a look and some advice.

thursday october 25The sun came up bright gold this morning, i had to leap out of bed with the camera.early mornings will be a must for me again, after a stressed out year of sleepingin and trying to gather my energy.it's lovely and cool early, pretty warm during the day.at dinner in mildura with the art vault crew last night, i was told the dirty skyyesterday was due to dust, not uncommon up here, coming down with the northerlywind.driving home last night, coming past the loch four houses from my place

A WALK around the garden at 6.30, today i'm heading in to Water Dynamics, to findout more about efficient watering of the block. i"ll have a look at the currentexhibition at the art vault www.theartvault.com.au

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

IT'S a funny day today, feels like there are fires somewhere because the sky is that strange brown, the sun can't quite get through.

lots of birds on the river, and the irises and lilies are spectacular, hardy too i think, because everything's pretty dry.

there are masses of these liliesin clumps all over the block

the irises are lovely, i'll move a lot of them closer to the house, they seem to be around the fenceline, too far away

these hippeastrums are also growing

in huge numbers, the red ones are spectacular -

a pity i think they'll be finished

before christmas, they're perfect

decorations

I've been busy today trying to sort out the house, finding the right place for things, setting up the studio - suddenly up the drive in a cloud of dust a courier arrived with my new phone - it's so cool - a retro design complete with old fashioned dial sounds as you press in the number. the handset is the cordless phone, inbuilt answering service, retro ringtone too.

check it out

WHAT BIRD IS THIS MK ??

I did three editions of prints at point lonsdale last week, here are the last two in my 50'ss' swimwear series

Tuesday, 23 October 2012

OCTOBER 23 tuesdayit's that strange time after a great holiday - coming down. looking around and seeing what has to be done. mostly watering, but at what cost? i won't know till i get a bill, i'm not sure how much power the pump is using getting the river water onto the garden.i'm sorting out the house, it's pretty good but things need to be put in their permanent places, and at lunchtime suddenly i had no water in the taps - a call to the council and their water guy came out to let me know they're flushing the mains, but unlike melbourne, he stayed, chatted and wandered around the front with me, helping me to find outlets of the watering system that had become buried under dirt and leaves. little by little i'm discovering the full setup.a good thing - i thought the egret had gone but he reappeared tonight, a beautiful night on the river as the sun moves around and is setting closer and closer to the water,

About Me

day to day life on the mighty murray surrounded by huge redgums, amazing waterbirds and all that serenity. i'm into my sixth year now - settled in completely and loving it. about to totally renovate the large garage into a weather controlled fully lined studio EEHAH!!
so much beauty here to enjoy every day.